Judd has the hunger to sign new Blues deal

CHRIS Judd has revealed he wants to play on next season, and is delighted his contentious deal with Visy has been settled.

Judd's rare six-year contract with Carlton ends this season and there had been suggestions the dual Brownlow medallist would consider retirement.

But the champion midfielder, who is still one of the competition's best and most marketable players, said he intended to begin negotiations for a new contract mid-season.

''I am not going anywhere. I am keen to play on next year,'' he said on Tuesday. ''The club is keen to have me. At some stage throughout the year we will sit down and nut out the finer details.''

Judd, 29, relinquished the captaincy over summer but has been enthused by what new coach Mick Malthouse has introduced. ''I have been excited by what Mick and his team are doing. I want to hang around for a little while longer,'' he told Channel Ten.

Fairfax Media revealed the AFL has allowed more than half of Judd's annual payment as an ambassador for Visy to be included in the Blues' injury payments. The annual third-party payments are between $200,000 and $250,000, and until late last year had been excluded from the salary cap.

But the AFL changed its ruling, prompting a frustrated Carlton, AFL Players Association and Judd's manager, Paul Connors, to threaten to head to the league's grievance tribunal. That was avoided when the payments were allowed to be included under the salary cap and injury allowance - the latter a surprise move to some in the industry.

''The AFL allowed us to put some of the money into last year's cap, where there was a bit of room, and some of it in injury payments,'' Judd said. ''From our point of view, we were really happy with how that deal went down.''

It is understood Collingwood's Dane Swan and Geelong's Joel Selwood have a similar deal allowing third-party payments to be included under injury allowance.

Judd is recovering from a minor hamstring strain and missed the opening round of the NAB Cup against Sydney and Greater Western Sydney. He won't play against Fremantle on Saturday night.

This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited.